Truss.



.A. 0 000KB.

muss.

AHLIGATIOH FILED DEC. 9, 1907.

Patented Jan. 26, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR.

fiy'red C. Cooke,

A TTORNE Y.

A. c. GOOKE. Tnns's APPLIOATION P ILED DBO. 9, 1907 910,504. PatentedJan. 26, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

BY t

ATT RNEY.

THE NORRIS PL 7212s 00, WASHINGTON, c. i

ALFRED G. OOOKE, OF ROOKYHILL, CONNECTICUT.

TRUSS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 26, 1909.

Application filed December 9, 1907. Serial No. 405,681.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED C. CooKE, a citizen of the United States, andresident of Rockyhill, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTrusses, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactspecification.

This invention relates to trusses, such as are generally used forsupporting ruptures, hernia, etc., and it has for one of its objects theprovision of a truss, the pad holder of which is adapted for adjustmentso as to exert a pressure in any desired direction without requiring anychange in the general position of the holding appliance on the ody ofthe wearer, and so that when the holder has once been fitted, thedirection on which the pad or pads are pressing, can be regulated tomeet the condition required in any particular case.

My invention has furthermore for its object the provision of means, inconnection with the multiple-pad truss, whereby the distance between thepads may be varied as required; while on the other hand each pad isadjustable independently of the other to produce the results abovestated.

My invention has furthermore for its object the provision of a resilientor springmember for each pad of the device, this spring being removablyheld on the holder so as to permit a substitution of a stronger or aweaker spring, irrespective of the manner in which the device, as awhole, is attached to the body of a patient.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the generic purpose of thepresent invention resides in a universality of adjustment of the trusspads, each of which is adapted to be regulated as to pressure, indirection as well as in force, the latter feature being particularlydesirable as the cure of the patient progresses, or to adapt the deviceto meet the requirements of ease and comfort.

The invention has been clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in which similar characters denote similar parts, and in which Figure 1is a perspective view of a strap truss embodying my invention. Fig. 2,re resents a front view of a pad holder a apted for two pads. Fig. 3, isan end view thereof. Fig. 4 shows a double-spring truss embodying myinvention, and Fig. 5, illustrates a single-spring truss.

In the trusses heretofore in use, it has been the aim of themanufacturers to obtain ease for the patient by shaping the body strapsor springs in different ways, without, however, considering the essenceof the method for supporting the rupture, the pads being, as a rule,rigidly secured to the body springs, so that consequently the pressureof the spring or strap is transferred, with its full force, on the pad,and irrespective of the direction of support required by each particularcase. In the present instance, the strap or spring can be fitted to theperson, without in any way considering the question of either thedirection or the force under which the pad is to be applied to therupture, inasmuch as the adjustment of the pad on the holder is aseparate and distinct operation to be subsequently entered into. Inother words, my present invention will enable me to secure resultssimilar to that of the patients own fingers which will unconsciouslyadapt themselves (when repressing the protrusion of a rupture) both asto force and direction, it be ing furthermore evident that when one padis used to hold the rupture, and a second pad is employed at the otherside, as what may be termed a preventive or safeguard against anotherrupture at that point, the pressures under which the pads operateagainst the body may be entirely different from each other.

In order to facilitate the understanding of the present invention, Ihave shown in Fig. 1 an ordinary body strap supporting a pair of padswhich are differently disposed on the holder, the body strap or bandbeing designated by the numeral 10, and having adjusting straps 11, 12,which are secured to the body strap by buckles 13. The adjusting straps11, 12, carry at the other ends loops 14, 15, adapted to be placed overscrew-posts 16, 17, which constitute parts of the pad holder base B,consisting of a pair of similarly shaped sheet metal members or plates18, 19 (see Fig. 2) which are positioned relatively to each other byscrews 20, 21, in a manner hereinafter described.

The threaded ends of the posts 16, 17, pass through the plates 18, 19,and engage screwthreaded apertures in pad-retainers 22, 23 respectively,each comprising a base plate I), and a pad-plate p, both formed of aunitary piece of sheet metal and bent at 24 (see Fig. 3) to establishthe resiliency of a V-spring, as will be readily understood. The posts16, 17, serve as trunnions, around which the retainers 22, 23 may beswung into any desired position, and then fastened into place by screws25, 26, respectively, which are adapted to pass through apertures 27,28, concentrically arranged relative to the posts 16, 17, and to engagea screw-threaded aperture in each of the base plates l2; and theresilient movement of the pad plates p relative to the blase plates bmaybe limited by said screws a so.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the resiliency of thepad-retainer can become effective in any desired direction, asdetermined by its position on the pad holder base B. Furthermore, eachpad-retainer has a central screw-threaded stem 30 in the pad plate p forholding the pad P, which latter may be turned around on said stem topresent the best possible surface or contour to the rupture.

Means are provided for varying the distance between the padretainers,these means consisting of the screws 20, 21 above mentioned, as unitingthe two holder sections 18, 19. Of the latter, the plate 19 is slottedat 31 (see Fig. 2) to permit the free passage of the screws 20, 21, Vihich engage a nut 32, and thus clamp the sections 18, 19 together. Byloosening said screws. the plates 18, 19 may be moved relatively to eachother, elther to increase or decrease the difference between their ends,and, in order to provide for an extra expansion, the plate 18 has nearits end a turning the pad on the retainer); and to.

vary the spring pressure of each pad independently of the other (bysubstituting a weaker or a stiffer retainer).

In Fig. 4 I have shown a double-spring truss, in which the strap 10 ofFig. 1 is replaced by the spring-wire bows 40, 41, inserted and clampedwith their front ends in clips 42, 43, which are positioned on theplates 18, 19, by means of screws 44, 45; while the rear ends supportthe back pads 46, 47, the posts 48, 49 of which are adapted to beengaged by loops 50, 51, carried by a strap 52, so that in this'mannerthe truss may be readily put on or taken off. It will be noted that inthis construction, the pad holder base B and the spring-bows areadjustably and rigidly connected, and the entire device is, therefore,self-sustaining, namely: in retaining the bows 40, 41, in theirrespective positions over the hips, of the patient, while theirresiliency will enable them to conform to the body movements withoutundue pressure.

In Fig. 5 is represented the single-spring truss, in which onlyonerupture-supporting pad is used in connection with a hip bowspring 55,combined with body straps 56, 57, adapted for adjustment. In thisinstance the pad holder and bow clip are formed of a casting 58, and thepad-retainer is held thereon in the manner described in connection withFigs. 2 and 3.

Many changes may be made in the detail construction of the severalelements of my improved device, and any of the different forms ofbody-straps or springs, either for single-pad or double-pad, may beemployed without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. 'lhe combination with a holder plate, of a V-shaped resilientpad-retainer, means for variably positioning said retainer relatively tothe holder, means for limitin the yielding movement of said retainer,and means for preventing said holder against tilting.

2. 'Ihe combination, with a holder plate having a series ofconcentricallydisposed apertures, of a V -shaped pad-retainer rotatablymounted on said holder plate, a screw carried by said retainer andadapted for engaging any one of said apertures to lock said retaineragainst movement on the holder, and to limit the yielding movement ofsaid retainer, and means for holding said holder plate against tilting.

3. The combination, with a holder plate, of a pair of V-shaped resilientpad-retainers carried thereby, independent means for variably positionineach of said retainers relatively to the ho der, and means for holdingsaid plate against tilting.

ALFRED C. COOKE.

Witnesses:

JosEPH BARR, CHAS. F. SoHMELz.

